Some Healthy Snacks

I tried these two recipes this week and loved them! The smoothie actually tastes really good for having spinach in it, Carson and I both loved it! I will be making it several times a week, it's such a good way to get greens in your diet.
I also loved the baked apple chips too! I have always loved apple chips but they are kinda pricy for the quantity, so making them yourself gives you so much more for less!

Green Monster Spinach Smoothie

Ingredients:

1 frozen sliced banana

1 Tablespoon peanut butter

1/2 cup  Greek yogurt

1 cup Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Breeze (or other kind of milk)

4 cups baby spinach (or more, or less)

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Nutritional stats:

350 calories, 10g fiber, 21g protein

***I just added about a handful of spinach, I don't think it was four cups, I also did about 1/4 c of yogurt instead and added a few ice cubes to make it cold because I was to impatient to wait for my banana to freeze, haha. enjoy.

Baked Apple Chips

Directions:

• Remove apple core. I most likely did this wrong since half of the apple was missing when I removed it but you get the idea.
• Thinly slice the entire apple.
• Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and place apple slices on it.
• Sprinkle with cinnamon.
• Bake at 275 degrees 
• The recipe said to bake for two hours, flipping them over after the first hour, but for me I noticed that was too long, I did one hour-- 30 min on each side. Not sure if every oven is different, but just really watch them the first time you try it and figure out how much time works best for your oven. 

happy eating.

It all started on a Sunday....

--DISCLAIMER---THIS IS AN EXTREMELY LONG POST, MOSTLY FOR MY REFERENCE TO HAVE IN WRITING, SO YAH.....SORRY SO LONG.

Some of you may or may not know how Keith and I met. Well, today is the day FIVE YEARS AGO that we met. It's the exact same date too, April 29th, but it was 2007. I had just started my sophomore year at Byu-Idaho, I was living in the same apartment complex but on the other side and with new roommates (I knew all of them but one, but we had never roomed together before.) Camille, Krystin and I were all pretty excited to say the least, about going to the new ward to scout out the boys, since all of us were single. It was there, in the ward, that I saw him....Keith, my future husband. He was on the stand giving a talk that day. I remember Krystin and I both thought he was cute. He gave an a wonderful talk, he always does, he has this ability to speak so naturally and make everything so personal. It was quite interesting because after church I really wanted to talk to him, I was drawn to him for some reason, but I was so scared to talk to him and to this day I'm still not sure why I was so scared, maybe intimidation? I had never really been afraid to talk to boys either, so it was quite odd. Krystin and I couldn't manage to get up the courage to talk to him, but fearless Camille could and she did. She also offered him a ride home. So he rode home with a car full of girls, I remember I got to sit by him too! I was happy about that. Krystin had drawn a little design on my hand earlier in Relief Society and later when we were dating Keith told me that he thought the design on my hand was a tattoo haha. He thought I was "mysterious" for having a tattoo and it intrigued him, but my little "fake tattoo" was gone the next time he saw me....anyway....Our apartments starting hanging out together a lot, he invited our apt to a cinco de mayo party, bonfire, shooting, ultimate frizbee and other things.

It was around the middle of May that he stopped by my apt w/a friend to visit. He invited our apartment to a Special Olympics Carnival in Rigby that he was volunteering at, none of my roommates could go but I told him I could. So he picked me up and it was just us. We hung out that whole day at the carnival and had a blast getting to know each other. Earlier on in the week he had his roommate Jared ask me if I would go to a dance with him (Keith) since the dance was GYRAD (get your roommate a date) so of course I said "yes" and was so excited! The dance was after the carnival so we went back to our apartments and got ready. Jared and my roommate Jamie went together and my roommate Jenny also came with us with her date. Let me just say that GYRAD was probably the best date I ever had, no seriously. We had SO MUCH FUN dancing crazy, latin dancing and just letting loose. We had an incredible time, I hadn't danced that hard, like ever! After GYRAD I didn't hear much from him and figured that he was busy with school and maybe wasn't interested, but kept thinking "We had so much fun, did he not have as much fun as me? "Does he like me?- yes/no?" So many questions swirled but I didn't really hear from him and this guy Luke kept calling me so I decided maybe I would give him a chance. I was walking through the MC one day and saw Keith and Stacey (a mutual friend) talking, they stopped me and we talked awhile and Keith invited both of us to come to UT for Memorial Day weekend. I said that I might be going to Boise, but I'd think about it. So the weekend gets closer and he calls to ask if I'm coming, I decide to go, and he tells me Stacey can't go anymore, I'm thinking- "Ahhh...is it just going to be us?"He then tells me that his roommate Helio and his sister Catherine are going to come. So he picks me up Friday, and we head to UT. We had such, I mean such, a fun time down there. We hung out with his family in SLC, went hiking to find a lake that we never found, Keith got stuck in the snow, Catherine and I played "Fishin' in the Dark" over and over again until the boys were sick of it, Helio played Oasis- "Wonderwall" over and over again until us girls were sick of it, we went to panda (they didn't have one yet in I.F.), and went shopping at the Gateway mall. I really got to know Keith so much more and had an entertaining time w/him and Catherine & Helio. So we headed back Sunday and on the way back Keith gets this call from a girl Jessica, in our ward and she invites him to Mesa Falls the next day w/her friends, I'm thinking "Oh well there goes my chance." I found out later before Keith and I started being b/f & g/f he was dating Jessica, but decided to go w/me!! He thought we fit better. ANyway....so Monday comes and Catherine and I decided to go to I.F. to go shopping, Keith calls in the middle of our lunch and asks if we want to go shooting and have a BBQ, I say "yes" of course and we head to hang out....we hung out the whole rest of the week together. Side note: after we went on our first date (gyrad) I get a calling the next day---Activities Committee, Keith was the head of it and I was now on it too! A little divine intervention?--maybe. Anyway....so Friday we had a ward activity that we were planning--Karaoke night in the La Jolla lounge, Keith and I went and picked up the pizzas and got everything set up. We had so much fun w/the ward and singing even though most of us couldn't really sing hahaha ok maybe it was just me? I remember thinking most of the night....hmmmm does he like me or just see me as a friend? Well that night I got my answer, after most everybody left a few of us decided to watch Pirates on the big screen, about halfway into the movie he slides his hand into mine :). I went home with a smile on my face that night.

The next day was his birthday, his sister and I had planned a surprise party for later that evening, but during the day he wanted to go to Yellowstone. He told me he just wanted it to be me and him--no one else. So we spent the day together in Yellowstone then he came back to my apt for a surprise party. By now I figured we were dating by some of the signs I was given. We hung out the whole following week and had a relay race for our ward where we went and got dressed up all funky for it. I remember he kept making fun of me being from Boise--saying it's such a "big" city and all. I told him he couldn't make fun of it till he'd been, and he hadn't. So we planned a trip to Boise, I told my family I was bringing him and they flippped! In a good way of course. But they really thought it was more than it was but we had just started dating. Anyway...the weekend comes, we head to Boise, listening to U2 (our fav band) the whole time, he'd gotten the cd for his b-day of their greatest hits) We get to Boise, hang out w/my bestie Kathryn for her 19th b-day at Merritts w/some scones, go to Eagle Fun Days parade the next day, had a BBQ w/the family, went Ice Blocking down Simplot hill, and then end the day with dinner and a movie at my sis's house. That saturday night- June 9th....he kissed me, my first kiss....in my room....shhhhh don't tell my mom! Misti was the first one I told, I ran downstairs where I was sleeping and told her, she didn't seem as excited as me lol. Two side notes: the moment Keith walked in my house my mom told us later her thought was "OH NO!" in a good way, she knew Keith was the one right when he walked in, there was something about him, and the no part was because she knew she was going to "lose" me. Side note two: Keith told me later that he made a pact w/himself that after his mission the next girl he would kiss would be his wife....and it was. Ok this is getting really long and you can stop any moment I understand. After we got back to Rexburg we were with each other everyday, every moment when we weren't in class or studying well even when we were "studying" haha he was my biology tutor. The end of the semester came and we talked about me going out East to meet his family, so we hopped on a plane together and out we went! I met his family-which I love, we went to the beach-  (which I also love), NYC, Philly, Atlantic City, he even took me on a romantic date to Seaside Heights (where Jersey Shore was filmed but this was before the show even existed), I had a beyond amazing time. We really had some fun adventures together, but I had to head back home two weeks later and he headed to UT.

We were apart five weeks total (I was in Alaska some and Boise some), got my wisdom teeth out, and then headed to UT to visit him since Kathryn was moving down there. We got to see each other for about a week then were apart again until school started. When I was in Alaska he told me he had something to tell me when we got back to Rexburg, I kept pressuring him to tell me what it was, he gave me a hint with a song and I figured it out---but wasn't totally sure (the song ended up being our wedding song), in the song it talks about "me and you, and forever" so when we talked one night he told me I had figured it out and then proceeds to tell me "I love you," I kinda sat in shock/excitement/bewilderment for a few minutes then told him the same thing. Over the course of a week we talked about things, marriage and what not and on September 21st, 2007 he proposed, and on December 28th, 2007 we were married. I still can't believe it's been five years exactly to this day, that I met my incredible husband. I love reflecting on our early dating days, engagement and marriage. I really do love that man.


I really wish I had a picture from the first day we met but this one will have to do...it's our first date...the gyrad dance.

Surprises!!

So I love love love surprises, especially when they come in the form of a brown tufted arch headboard  for an early Mother's Day gift from your husband. I have been looking for awhile for the perfect headboard for our bed. When I came across this beauty I fell in love, I just knew I had to get a tufted headboard, they are so classy and sophisticated. I love them!

I had been drooling over this headboard for awhile, so the other day I sent Keith an e-mail with a link attached to the site to buy the headboard and told him for future reference if he's ever stumped on what to get me this would be the perfect gift. I told him it could be my Mother's Day, B-day, and Christmas present for the next few years combined haha, but I was serious because it's kinda a big present. So he asked me a few questions about it and I told him I was certainly in love with it and it was definitely what I wanted for our room. Then later he told me to be home Thursday (today), I kinda freaked out but didn't want to get my hopes up, maybe he just bought me fudge. Sooooo....today rolls around, I'm waiting and waiting for the Fed Ex guy, 1:00 comes and I hear a truck outside my window, so I peek and it's the Fed Ex guy! Then I hear the doorbell ring and I open it to find a humungous package outside my door. So I open it and sure enough it's my dream headboard! I'm in love. I think I've already spent a good 20 minutes just staring at it haha. I still can't believe Keith bought it for me. I'm sooo happy! Thanks so much babe, now we just need you to get home so we can get it all set up!

Here it is set up on my bed, it's not up on the poles or base yet because I'm waiting for Keith to do that.

I'm Lovin' It

No I'm not talking about McDonald's, although Carson and I did take a few walks there this week to get out into the sunshine and go get a redbox, and ok maybe I did get one of their $1 any size sodas, I'm lovin' that deal. Anyways....I'm talking about my new lamp! I love it! My sisters and I had another craft night on Thursday. So before Thursday I scoured some thrift stores to find a lamp that was still good looking but cheaper than buying it brand new...which I did score a pretty sweet deal- $2.50 for my lamp! You can't beat Goodwill! So after I found my amazing deal of a lamp I went to Wal-mart and bought some ruffled trim, I knew it wouldn't be enough to cover the whole shade (even though the shade is on the smaller side) so I went to Michael's and found the same exact trim but for double the price and less trim. Dang oh well I was determined to make the shade all cute. So total cost around $13. Yeah yeah the trim was more expensive then the lamp- being around $10, but it's the simplest craft ever once you have all the supplies! All you do is hot glue the trim to fit the shade and wah lah! Isn't she a beauty? If you already have a lamp (preferably a smaller shade) that you wanna give a face lift--give it a try, I suggest buying your trim at Wal-Mart though, you may have to go to a few Wal-Marts if they don't have enough of the same kind at one. 


Anyway...that was my big accomplishment for the week and it took less than an hour...well after I bought everything. This past week was kinda a crazy one. Sunday I started feeling sick, Carson had just got done from being sick the whole previous week and somewhere along the way either he caught another bug or I did and we passed it on to each other. Soooo Sunday-Wednesday we were both sick but it was pretty minor, but Thursday came along and my voice decided to leave me, it still hasn't returned, along with a sore throat and nasty cough. Carson had all the same symptoms but instead of losing his voice he had a runny nose. Poor boy, sick for two weeks! So we spent a lot of time together, taking walks, taking naps, taking little trips to the store, talking to daddy on the phone, eating Cheerios---man this kid loves his Cheerios, he will go to the cupboard where they are, pull them out and bring them to me and whine until he gets some. He should be the poster child for Cheerios. 

This was right after he brought me the Cheerios, then I started taking pictures and he got mad that I wasn't giving him Cheerios haha

 He loves his daddy too, every time I'm talking to Keith on the phone he'll reach for it and then put it up to his ear and say, "hi," "hi," "hi." It's so cute. 

On Monday, we had FHE with my sister and her family. We went to Cost Plus World Market & the Mall for our activity. I had never been to Cost Plus before, it was pretty sweet to see all the home decor and furniture items from different countries. My favorite section was the chocolate, they have chocolate from; Germany, Switzerland, France, Belgium, and many more & so many different flavors. They also had different candies from my childhood you can't find anymore...like mars bars, I miss those babies. There were too many chocolates to choose from so I randomly decided on these babies and boy were they good.

It was like eating chocolate hazelnut pringles. I'm taking Keith back there when he gets home to try out some more of their chocolate.

Saturday was absolutely gorgeous..in the 80s. Even though Carson and I were still sick I decided some sunshine would do us some good. So we went and walked the greenbelt in Downtown Boise with my sister and her daughter. Then ate out at Boise Fry Company afterwards. They have all different sauces, seasonings, & fries to try- it's pretty sweet. I liked the blueberry ketchup and the chipotle sauce best. I think I'm gonna get the bourgeious fries next time we go. I read an article about the restaurant and they said you absolutely have to try these fries! They are fried in duck fat and seasoned with truffle salt. Sooo yeah I know it sounds a little weird but if they charge $8.00 for them they must taste like heaven. The burgers were delish too!  I found this little blurb from a blog when looking for pictures of BFC, I thought he explained the concept pretty well.

I have to thank my car’s GPS for pointing me towards the Boise Fry Company. Their fries were phenomenal and what better place to eat deep fried potatoes than Idaho! I love their fry bar concept. You pick what kind of potato you want, what kind of cut, and few minutes later you get a bowl full of amazing fries. You then have a choice of about 25 kinds of salts and sauces for your fries. It was so much fun and so cheap! We had a regular cut purple potato fries, curly cut laura potato fries and po’balls which are like tater tots. We doused each one in different combinations of salts and sauces. I loved their smoked hickory salt and their rosemary garlic salt. I still think about these fries!

Relaxing in the shade after our walk.

Playin' at Julia Davis Park.

Boise Fry Company's Menu

Some of the many fries- they even have purple ones, and sweet potato fries--mmmm my favorite! Can you tell we love our potatoes here in IDAHO??!!! 

So....besides being sick (and still am) for the majority of the week we still managed to make it a good memorable week. We're anxiously awaiting our favorite person to come home hopefully this Friday :)

Happy Weekend Everyone 

Guess Who....

Guess Who's coming to Boise for the Boise Music Festival in July....????

One of my FAVORITES.....Kellie Pickler!

I love love love her! I watched her on American Idol and was super bummed when she was voted off. I think she has an amazing voice, such a cute personality, and I love all her songs! I wasn't really excited about the other people coming with her...LL Cool J, Smash Mouth, and a few others, but when I found out she was coming I told Keith, "I have to go!" I'm also excited about newcomer Karmin performing too, she has a pretty good voice. I've never seen any of my favorite county stars in concert, Carrie, Taylor, Miranda, Kellie, Lady A, Sugarland, The Band Perry, Brad Paisley or Keith Urban. So I'm stoked to see Kellie.

And the best part about the music festival....IT'S FREE! How AWESOME is Boise?!!! July can't come sooner!

blessing

One year ago today we blessed our little C. I can't believe one year has already passed since that wonderful day. I remember it all so well, I had prayed and prayed for three days that my kidney stone would pass so I would be able to go to the blessing, well the Lord really did hear and answer my prayers because for three days straight I was sick, throwing up, bed ridden, in pain, and couldn't eat a thing, but miraculously Sunday MORNING my stones passed, Church was at 9:30 and I was able to go to my little boys blessing! I felt so bad because my mom flew into New Jersey on Thursday and we had all these plans to do fun things but those three days were spent helping me get better and her and Keith's mom taking care of Carson during the day and at night because Keith was sick too. It was a very wonderful blessing given by his father- Keith. I'll remember that day forever, he didn't even cry. I was so glad that my stones passed so that I was able to enjoy the blessing and the rest of the trip, the next day we were able to go to Philadelphia and show my mom all the historical sites including the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. I just soak all the history stuff up- I love it! I'm so glad my Mom said she had a fun trip even though I was sick a lot of the time she was there, her and Keith's mom became good friends :) It was such a fun three week vacation, it's crazy it's already been a year since we've been out to New Jersey, I'm hoping to take Carson there in the summer, so we'll see how things go.

oh...and HAPPY EASTER!!! We had such a fun Easter (except for Keith not being here), Saturday we got all the cousins together and had lunch, dying Easter Eggs, & hiding the eggs. Carson found the eggs but didn't want to put them in his basket, he just wanted to play with them haha. Sunday was absolutely gorgeous and we had a turkey dinner over at my uncle's house down the street with my family, all in all, besides missing Keith, it was a good weekend.

Conference and Chicago

I loved loved loved all the talks at General Conferece but a couple really stood out to me, Elder Holland's and Utchdorf's. Man, these men always have amazing quotable talks! Don't you just love  Utchdorf's advice to "Stop IT!" What were your favorite talks?

I wish I could say that I am in Chicago with  Keith having a blast, but no we didn't get to go on this trip, sadly. Keith is away for work in Chicago, Indiana, and Ohio till the end of the month. I miss him terribly but little man keeps me company. I am a little jealous he gets to go to Chicago, a place I've never been. There's so much to do there; shopping, deep dish pizza, the City, museums, oh just fun things. Oh well maybe next time. Miss you babe.